Boomerang
by DobbyLovesSocks
Summary: "A dozen empty tables, and she chose the seat next to the might-be-crazy girl. Yes, Ginny Weasley isn't like the rest of them. And that's what Luna loves about her." - Luna/Ginny friendship, for Erin


Okay, this is a very very last minute birthday fic for the wonderful Erin (xThe Painted Lady). Again, I'm sososo sorry I forgot until I saw Teddy mention it on tumblr... But it's okay, I wrote it! So... this is basically the beginning of our friendship, Erin, but written in the form of a Ginny/Luna friendship/almost romance fic. In case you can't tell, I'm Luna. A bit of romance unintentionally slipped in, because even though _we_ are just friends, I suppose my subconscious shipper mind interrupted the friendship between Ginny and Luna here, haha. Well anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY (again)! I hope your day is amazing, and I hope you like this fic. :)

Word count: 1213

* * *

In third year, they have potions together.

On the first day of class, Luna has already been sitting there for five minutes when others start to arrive. The second student to enter the room has flaming red hair and is followed by a pack of friends. The classroom is full of empty tables, but the girl chooses to sit down at the only occupied one, and the rest of her friends spill in next to her, some being pushed to the next table. Luna is taken aback as people flood in around her, but she smiles. It's nice to be chosen, for once.

"I'm Ginny," the red-haired girl says amiably, smiling at Luna. "Gryffindor, obviously, since I'm not in your house and we're the only other house in this class..." She blushes slightly, grinning.

"My name's Luna," Luna says pleasantly. Just then, Professor Flitwick clears his throat and begins the lesson, and both girls turn their attention to him. However, Luna can't keep from glancing over and smiling at Ginny every few minutes for the rest of class.

* * *

As the year progresses, the two continue talking, and Luna can't keep the smile off her face whenever Ginny gives her a passing wave in the corridors. On the last day before they return home for summer, Luna spots a figure racing toward her at top speed.

"Luna!" she calls, and the other girl immediately looks up. "I forgot to give you back this quill I borrowed, sorry. Well, have a good summer!" She starts to dash off, when Luna reaches out and grabs her arm.

"Would you mind if I owled you during the summer?" she asks nervously. "Daddy and I are going to be travelling all around Britain looking for some really fascinating creatures, and it would be lovely to be able to tell someone about it."

"Of course, Luna," she replies, smiling. "Send me a letter whenever you'd like, though I don't think we have very much planned. As usual." The two girls part ways, heading off to bed for the last time of the year. Luna falls asleep with a smile on her face.

* * *

_Dear Ginny,_

_Daddy and I are having a wonderful time in Wales. It's so beautiful here; that must be why so many creatures are living everywhere we look! They're very fast; we usually spot them just out of the corner of our eyes, and by the time we turn to see them, they've disappeared! That's occurred with at least three Blibbering Humdingers. Hopefully, soon, we'll be fast enough to see one full on, and I'll take a photograph for you! I hope you're having a nice holiday, too._

_Yours,  
_

_Luna_

Ginny reads the letter, laughing every couple of lines.

"Who's the letter from, Gin?" Fred asks, smirking. George pops up behind him as they chorus, "Your _boyfriend?"_

"I don't have a _boyfriend,_" she snaps. "It's from Luna Lovegood."

"Your girlfriend, then?" Fred enquires. "That's fine with us, Gin, if that's what floats your boat."

"Oh, just shut up!" She stomps out of the kitchen up to her bedroom, where she immediately pulls out a quill and a piece of parchment.

_Dear Luna..._

* * *

"Luna, darling, come look at this owl!" Xenophilius Lovegood calls out excitedly. "Its wings are shaped very similarly to those of the Crumple-Horned Snorkack- the resemblance is striking!" The owl flaps its wings weakly a few times before collapsing in a heap on a nearby bush.

"Wow!" she exclaims, but her only thoughts are _letter letter letter Ginny Ginny Ginny_ as she rushes over to the ball of feathers and gently works the letter off of its leg. She reads the letter excitedly, and has a reply written within the hour. She scrounges up some food and a few sips of water for the feeble owl before she sets him on his way again. For perhaps a fortnight, this is how it goes. Replies are sent back the day they're received, and the sight of an owl brings instant excitement to Luna (and Ginny isn't half upset by it, either).

After some time, though, the replies become fewer and further between. Ginny spends more time running around outside and helping around the house, and doesn't end up responding until a day or two later. Luna, on the other hand, finds herself slightly worried about the length between letters, and finds herself counting down the hours until she deems it appropriate to send Errol back to her friend. They've finally settled into this routine of a letter every few days, when a week goes by and Ginny still hasn't replied. Then two weeks, and Luna finds herself truly worried.

"Do you think she's hurt, Daddy?" she asks, looking up at her father.

"I don't know, darling," he says honestly. "It could just be the Wrackspurts; you know what they do to a person's memory."

"I hope so."

After nearly three weeks, Luna's hunched over a small bush, examining it for Nargles, when she feels something gently peck her neck and nearly cries with relief.

"Daddy, look what it is!"

"I'm sure it was just the Wrackspurts, Luna," he says, patting his daughter on the shoulder. "They do seem particularly prevalent in our neighbourhood, especially during the summer." Luna happily opens the letter and reads it, her silver eyes wide. She reaches the end and frowns slightly.

"It doesn't explain why it took so long. But I'm sure she's incredibly busy." She looked up thoughtfully. "Or maybe she isn't busy at all, and she's taking the time to appreciate it. Not very many people do that, you know. But Ginny isn't like the rest of them." Luna realised that the day that Ginny sat down next to her. A dozen empty tables, and she chose the seat next to the might-be-crazy girl. Yes, Ginny Weasley isn't like the rest of them. And that's what Luna loves about her.

* * *

"Look at this, Daddy!" Luna calls out, holding up a strange object. "Is it the horn of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack? Or, ooh, it looks quite like the tail of a Gulping Plimpy! Or maybe-"

"It's a boomerang," he says, as if it were obvious, and they both freeze in the irony of it.

Soon, Xenophilius shuffles into the tent for the night, and Luna is left sitting crosslegged in the glow of the moon with a boomerang. She tosses it gently, and it thuds to the ground. It takes her a few more tries, but soon she has it soaring away from her body and circling back a few seconds later. As the night goes on, the boomerang goes farther and farther away, but every time, it comes back. _It always comes back._

* * *

The next couple of replies take a long time, and Ginny even forgets to reply to one. But when September first rolls around, Ginny approaches the blonde girl a little ways into the train ride and sits down next to her.

"I'm so sorry I forgot to reply to that last letter!" she exclaims, and immediately starts telling Luna everything she didn't mention on paper.

It took a few tries, but now Luna thinks she understands. Sometimes Ginny might be a little bit further away, and sometimes she might forget. But she always, _always_ comes back.


End file.
